As I wrap up these comments, I hope you noticed that I slowly switched from discussing weight loss to talking about how to gain and maintain a healthy body. Both the medical community and society at large have a generally warped view of what the body should look like. The medical community wants all females to be 64 inches tall and weigh 133 pounds, but not all women are built this way. Society tends to favor the large top, large bottom skinny waist female (Usually in heels). Neither of these images are what I call healthy. So, if you are trying to conform to these images you are likely wasting a lot of mental energy in a hopeless endeavor. Men, you don’t get off easily either. Your body will likely never look like Arnold Schwarzenegger and when people told me to get in shape, I always pointed out that round is a shape. May I suggest instead you focus on gaining a healthy body no matter the size or shape. This change in mental attitude by itself will reduce your stress.

I mention mental energy, because the brain is one of the most underutilized tools on the road to good health. I have stickers all over my house to remind my wife and I to focus our minds daily on the goal.

Many of these notes read: “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and healthier and happier.” I stole this affirmation from Jack La Lanne the father of the fitness movement. He lived to the ripe old age of 93 and is my health hero. At age 70, handcuffed, shackled, and fighting strong winds and currents, he towed 70 rowboats, one with several guests, from the Queen's Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary, 1 mile away. Oh, that I had that body.

There is even a discussion of this idea of using the brain to control health in a recent Life Extensions magazine article entitled: “Weight Loss: How to Stop Negative Self-Talk”

https://www.lifeextension.com/wellness/weight/weight-loss-prevent-negative-self-talk

One final note. There is a farm family I like and trust. They are the Carlton family, Chad, Brad, and Dad. They provide raw milk cow milk for my pets, which I also drink, along with fresh fruits and vegetables in season. The farm is in Rockmart but they deliver to Bread Becker’s in Woodstock every Thursday afternoon. He also has drop off points around Atlanta.

http://www.carltonfarm.com/

Bread Becker’s is also a good place to buy real food, equipment to preparation, books, and Sue Becker even teaches you how to make it tasty both on video and in person. They follow the Weston A. Price philosophy. Here is their web site.

https://www.breadbeckers.com/

If you are not near these sources of good food, below is a link to the Weston A Price web site with suggestions for how to find food in your area or you can visit any local farmers market to find where to shop.

https://www.westonaprice.org/find-nutrient-dense-foods/